An SEC championship in Atlanta — once again to decide the national championship.

That’s not a bad way to start the new year, a season that began with questions about the league’s superiority and ended with spirited debate about its Playoff worthiness.

As the Big Ten celebrated its 7-1 bowl record — yay! — for the second time in seven seasons, two SEC teams will meet in the national championship game. The league is guaranteed of winning its ninth national title in the past 12 seasons.

Georgia punched its ticket first, in a heart-stopping double-overtime victory over Oklahoma on Monday evening in the Rose Bowl.

Alabama joined the fray later Monday night, pounding Clemson 24-6 in Round 3. It couldn’t match the Rose Bowl in terms of sheer theater or pyrotechnics, but it produced the same one-way ticket to Atlanta, nonetheless.

The next week will be filled of Saban vs. Smart, mentor vs. protege, but let’s not overlook entirely how Alabama reached its sixth championship game under Saban.

Alabama’s defense might not be on par with the defenses of years’ past, but it was plenty good enough in New Orleans.

It helped, no doubt, that Clemson’s quarterback Monday night, Kelly Bryant, couldn’t play at the championship level of the Tigers’ past legend, either.

Ultimately, that was the difference in deciding the Sugar Bowl Playoff semifinal.

Deshaun Watson was gone, and so too was Clemson’s legitimate chance to defend its belt.

Alabama knew it, and played like it. Sure, Jalen Hurts took some shots downfield, but there was no mistaking Alabama’s game plan. The staples were going to decide their fate.

There was no panic Monday, even after Hurts lost a fumble on a botched zone-read to open the second half of a one-score game.

Clemson took over at Bama’s 20, but lost 5 yards on three plays. Twice Bryant was tackled trying to escape pressure. Clemson settled for a 42-yard field goal from Alex Spence, his second of the night.

Bama’s defense was just getting started. Da’Ron Payne intercepted Bryant’s tipped pass on the next possession. He didn’t score (yet, spoiler alert) — this defense isn’t last year’s defense, remember — but he raced as fast as a 300-pounder can to move Hurts and Co. in position to add to its lead.

You want a staple? On 4th-and-1 at Clemson’s 18, there was no hesitation from Saban, who had just watched Andy Pappanastos clank a 38-yard attempt off the upright. Hurts put the ball in Damien Harris’ belly, and Harris took flight, gaining a first down.

Three plays later, Hurts faked another handoff, rolled out and hit … Payne, who had lined up in the backfield as part of Bama’s jumbo package.

Alabama led 17-6, but given Clemson’s offensive issues, it felt like more.

More important, with Bryant behind center instead of Watson, it felt like enough.

Mack Wilson made sure it was, intercepting Bryant’s next pass — also tipped — and returning it for a touchdown. It was just Alabama’s second defensive touchdown of the season.

It came at the perfect time. And it sealed the perfect storm: The best conference in America again will send its two best programs to decide the best college football team in America.